Creating a Seamless Design at a Resort

This event took place at the Four Seasons Resort, Aviara, North San Diego. Lately, when we've worked at hotels, it's been our design philosophy to make the decor fit the resort or hotel. To do this well, it's best to begin with an outstanding property, of course! The Aviara's design is already stunning, so our job was to make the event look like something custom and special, yet not extravagant.




We spent as much time on the flow of the event as we did the design itself. It was important that it be seamless with the existing elements. For instance, this fountain was the center of the event. Everything emanated from it as you can see in the photo below it.



Lighting is a big part of a successful event. Below is Curt Stahl from Images By Lighting conducting a daytime focus with one of his team. Curt has worked with us for years and the synergy of AOO’s design and what Images does to enhance it makes us a GREAT partnership.

You see what I mean? Below, the event takes on a totally different personality at night with lighting ...

A Natural High

Continuing from what I said yesterday about Wyoming ... inspiration for color, design and light are everywhere here.

Not even a visit from a stranger interrrupted breakfast for these guys!

Teaser alert! When I post photos from the Wyoming program in a few weeks, you'll see how these colors played out in my event design.

Has something you've seen or done this summer inspired your recent event designs?

BIG SKY INSPIRATION

Still in Jackson, Wyoming, producing a corporate program. But months ago I came here for a site inspection to get not only the specs for the job, but to find inspiration for it's design.

Let me tell you, there is no shortage of beauty here. The air is crisp and clean making the colors pop in a way that can only happen in big sky country.

For the program, I drew a lot of my inspiration from these colors and vistas. I put them into my proposals and renderings and this week saw them come to life. You will see them too, in a few weeks on this blog, so stay tuned!





I loved the red of this stagecoach against the wood of the Stage Stop, turned gray by the sun. Yes, it's a little touristy, but Jackson is to be commended for embracing its rugged past while looking to the future -- the city's main industry aside from recreation is arts and entertainment. In fact, Jackson is host to a number of world-class arts organizations and writer's conferences.

Inspiration is everywhere. I'd love to know what has inspired you lately -- leave a comment and share!

Build It and They Will Come

Faustino and Eric are buffing out the frame that was built to house the TV.

The woodworking frame is done. This is before the zebrawood laminate was installed.

One of the most successful things I've done to set AOO Events apart from other event design and production firms is to take the time and money to create a fully equipped workshop run by a team of talented carpenters, builders and designers. With this in place we can create a unique, custom look for each event as well as easily augment rental items with a custom piece or pieces.

Here, we created a 10-by-10-foot booth to market AOO Events at a recent show attended by prospective clients. The photos above show the construction process and below is the final product.

This photo was taken during setup and unfortunately the lighting wasn't great. But it gives a general idea of the booth design. The zebra wood TV kiosk stands about 10 feet tall and is framed with metal circle frames.

My inspiration for this look was an ad (see below) in an interior design magazine that featured a neutral color palette set in front of a wall that was “textured” with wrought-iron circular designs. We put our own spin on it in the warehouse with small shelves on which to display promotional material and décor. The look was warm and inviting. We didn't want it to say “sell;” we wanted to drive traffic to us with a relaxed, laid-back feeling and chic design.

Some of the details.

My philosophy behind booth design is to be stylish yet without making a statement about one design or another. In this way, we can better talk to people about their event vision while still conveying our own quality, capabilities and style.

GUEST BLOG by Andrea Michaels

About Andrea...

You've heard the saying “your reputation precedes you?” This is one case where that expression doesn’t even come close to describing the incredible accomplishments and reputation of Andrea Michaels and Extraordinary Events.

My first encounter with Andrea was in 1998 when I was up against her for a Gala Award for Best Event Produced for a Corporation. I thought there was NO WAY I had any chance against her yet miraculously I won my first Gala that night. When we got back from the conference, I had an e-mail from Andrea kidding me that I took her Gala Award. Since then we continue to be friendly competitors with great admiration for one another. To this day I aspire to be like her. (By the way, I think it's worth mentioning that since that time, every year AOO Events has come up against EE for a Gala Award, they have won EVERY time. Kudos!)

But she doesn't need a shelf of awards to take her position as an icon in the events industry. She has won this honor through hard work, a sense of fairness, tons of talent and the wisdom to share and give back. We are honored to have her here, running with the pack of designdawgs and leading us in a new way to consider an event's message.

-- David Merrell

The Experience IS the Message
By Andrea Michaels

Lately it seems the words “brand,” “message” and “goals” and the concepts behind these words have become interchangeable. But they are entirely different things altogether.

In my opinion, the purpose of a meeting or an event is its message. The brand is an identity and perhaps something the CEO speaks about. Of course it’s important to not work against a brand, but a brand can’t tell attendees why they are at that meeting or event. It doesn’t motivate or excite. For example, the Mercedes brand implies sleek, elegant, powerful and dynamic. You can pick that up from an advertisement. But does knowing those things motivate the people it brings together for a meeting? What motivates them is the message of the meeting. Whether that is to sell, influence, motivate or network, the message has to engage people emotionally. Most of all, it’s a call to action.

Sounds lofty, doesn’t it? It’s not. It’s basic. So very basic that often we miss the importance of understanding why we’re holding an event, how we’re delivering it, and what the end goal of it is. Let’s look at our words again. The brand’s end goal is to deliver a message and that message is always a call to action. It’s important that we as event professionals understand the semantical differences in order to create effective meetings and events. Throughout my career I have always strived to deliver a message in an innovative manner that is both creative and enlightening. Interestingly, this has become my philosophy for design as well. And by the way, I don’t know if “semantical” is a real word, but it is descriptive, isn’t it?

One of my favorite recent events illustrates this beautifully. It was an incentive event for a group we have produced for the past 10 years. But this time was different. This time the client was locked in a fierce battle with the economy. The company was in the eye of the storm and while it wanted to reward its top people for past work, it also had to motivate them for the difficult times that lay ahead. Not the easiest message to convey through event design!

Opening General Session

The event was at the Atlantis in the Bahamas and that gave us our inspiration for a theme that would weave itself through four different events over the course of so many days.

By using the lost city of Atlantis as the foundation for the theme of this program we not only incorporated history, culture and lore of the location but also provided a platform for the company executives to address the current economic situation in an honest, yet hopeful manner. The lost city of Atlantis was used as a powerful allegory for the hope that something once lost can be brought back to full glory…eventually.

The theme for each and every event was “Treasure.” Let’s explore how this played out. Though the mechanics of making an allegory come alive are not easy, they are always possible. They take creativity, inspiration and a little bit of live narration to tell the story.

A local fish fry at the Welcome Reception

We began with simplicity and what we call “cheap and cheerful” yet always with the overall theme in mind. So, on the first night, we let the guests begin their journey in the present day at a local fish fry which featured the beauty of the site, the island’s down-home cooking, the best of the local talent and simple, yet authentic decor. The message? The location was the treasure to be enjoyed in the days ahead.

TREASURE LOST: Telling the story of Atlantis began at General Session.

The next morning at the General Session we began to weave in the myth of Atlantis. Attendees entered a ballroom that was completely dark save for a light that flickered over the chairs like sunlight filtering through the sea. The sounds of drifting surf, an intermittent wave, a whale could be heard.

Once everyone was seated, while the room remained dark, the light of a diver appeared above within the hanging dark blue and green chiffon that appeared to be seaweed. As the “diver” began to move towards the stage, a voiceover related the story of searching for the lost city of Atlantis, with analogies to the search for the treasures in turbulent times. Around the room pieces of the lost city were revealed as the light from the diver’s helmet passed over them.

With a custom music track punctuating the drama of the moment, the client’s message was incorporated in a story that told of today’s business climate and compared it to the greatness of Atlantis before it disappeared. The story culminated in the theatrical discovery of the buried city as the diver figuratively landed on the stage amid the ruins of Atlantis. The CEO took the stage and addressed the myth, taking the diver’s words and bringing them into today’s reality. The economy had “sunk” the company into challenging times, and it was time to find a way to salvage it with the help of those in the audience. Atlantic “could” arise again, and would. So would this company. The theme: Treasure Lost.

TREASURE FOUND: The lengendary city of Atlantis brought to life

That evening, guests entered the same ballroom now transformed into the legendary city of Atlantis in all its glory. A place in which dreams can be realized was the perfect theme for an awards show. The message was that what was once lost (times were bad) could arise to flourish once again (times will ultimately get better). The theme? Treasure Found.

On the main stage, a statue of Poseidon dominated. At a given point in the show, the lights focused on Poseidon and this marble statue now slowly began to come to life. Poseidon (a Broadway Tony winner) belted out a song that captured a whimsical element for the evening…If My Friends Could See Me Now, which because of the surprise element, got a roar of applause from the audience. At the end of the song, he returned to his original pose as a statue and the awards resumed. Four other statues situated at decorated vignettes around the room also came to life throughout the show to sing songs relevant to the award category they presented. They were an important device to elicit audience involvement and helped break up the length of the awards show bringing whimsy to the event and the resulting spirit of joy in the accomplishments of those present.

TREASURE ENJOYED: A pirate theme brought the treasure thread from allegory to reality

On the final night the guests traveled in time to the Bahamas that had become home to the most famous pirates in history. Now what could speak to the theme of “treasure” more than pirate lore? At this point the message turned from allegory to reality. The ballroom was now transformed into a pirate’s lair complete with real pirates (actors who had been auditioned in Los Angeles and had together formed a troupe to stay in character the entire night).

These pirates and their wenches held court on vignettes set on dressed out risers throughout the room; singing songs, playing dice, flirting, making raucous toasts and creating merriment. They also joined guests at the dinner tables as huge platters of food overflowing with hearty fare were delivered family style to each table by costumed servers. It was clear that this was not an event just decorated to look like a pirate’s den, but a total transformation for all the senses.

On stage, a life-size stern of an authentic wooden pirate galleon arose with a full set of sails and of course, the infamous plank. Once dinner ended, the president went “on deck” and for the last time addressed the theme. The people in the audience were the real treasures of the company and tonight was a reward for those treasured folks…a night of pure fun and frivolity. He then told the audience that with treasure comes magic. As he said this, the helm of the ship opened, and the lighting and mood of the room changed to rock ‘n’ roll as a hot party band was revealed, opening Blackbeard’s Disco for the second half of a fun, imaginative evening.

The message to attendees, from General Session to the awards, was the same as that which we live and work by today -- business is bad, but like the lost city, it will arise again.

Andrea Michaels
Andrea Michaels is president of Extraordinary Events, an award-winning event management and production firm that produces events in the U.S. and internationally. When she began the company 20 years ago this year, Andrea’s intention was clear with the name she chose and true to it, she has created many extraordinary events, winning more for her work than any other event professional. A pioneer in the field of event marketing, she continues to inspire countless other event professionals with her talent, philosophy, and code of ethics. Extraordinary Events is based in Los Angeles. Andrea can be reached at 818.783.6112 or by e-mail: amichaels@extraordinaryevents.net, http://www.extraordinaryevents.net/

Setting a Trend: It's About Finding the Right Hook-ah

Here is an interactive element that we’ve been using and that guests have been falling for hookah, line and sinkah! Of course it has to be the right event and the right client, but the hookah is a unique detail that is wildly popular with guests. All night long the hookah area is filled with people smoking, laughing and bonding. And it’s something they always remember and talk about the following day.

Actually, the first time we used it we weren’t sure what the reaction would be. It was a sixties theme. Our client was very excited about creating a hookah area and knew her guests would love it. But still, we were a little concerned that the introduction of tobacco at an event (and all that goes with what it could represent to different people) might be met the wrong way. But in this case, it was just the opposite! Of course, it can only be done in an outdoor area.

As you can see from these photos, the guests loved the hookah. We made sure to have an attendant who stayed with the hookah all night as the device requires the right mix of charcoal (heat), flavored tobaccos and water. Also, this person was able to tell them how to use the hookah, change the tobacco and also give people their own personal mouthpiece (a very important detail).


And recently we used a hookah again at the Bohemian night at the Miramonte Resort and Spa. Like the sixties event, the hookah fit beautifully with the theme.

Note: each time we bring in a hookah, we always buy it new. No one likes a hookah that’s been around the block too many times!

GUEST BLOG by Zaid Arriola

A Little Sugar Goes a Long Way
By Zaid Arriola

My mother always told me: “When you are a guest at someone’s home, always be polite, kind and helpful. And always leave everything as you found it or better.” This stayed with me throughout the years and has come in handy not only when I am a guest at a dinner party but also when working in a hotel. Because really, working in a venue is like coming in somebody’s home.

My mother’s advice came back to me as I produced an event at the Miramonte Resort and Spa during the annual meeting of Allergan’s Dermatology division. This program consisted of three events -- a Tuscan welcome reception, an awards dinner off property and a bohemian night. The series ran very smoothly thanks to a great crew, the hospitality of the Miramonte and a collaborative spirit.

A few months prior to the event I went on a site inspection with the client. We met with the National Sales Manager, Fred Rios, and the Director of Catering and Conference Services, Alex White. We all created concepts and went over the event step-by-step from the menu to the transportation, rooming, entertainment and even the branding.

The Miramonte pool area in final stages of setup.

After years of working in venues, I’ve found it is always helpful to share all the information on the items I am providing – power usage, floor plans, style pages, time lines, contact sheets and agendas. This allows the venue to know all the items being provided as well as every detail on the making.

I worked closely with Alex. She was extremely helpful and together we were able to enhance all aspects of the event. If I needed an extra table, to rearrange furniture or simply get a bucket of ice to keep refreshments cold for the crew, she was always willing to lend a hand.

What an incredible view!

Roger Brown, the Special Events Director, was enthusiastic and enjoyed combining our props with food. Together we created a great food presentation that became an artistic display of flavors. One of my favorites was the use of wine barrels as tables for a wine tasting. A larger barrel topped with flowers, surrounded by grape vines, grape leaves and grapes created an interactive floral centerpiece on the buffet. A great collaboration.

The cabanas designed for the Bohemian themed event.

To make the final night happen, the Bohemian look by the pool, we worked together for three days and truly got in sync at the same pace, a dream come true for a producer. What always helps is to share the vision of the end result of the project with the crew. We provided style pages, work orders and a layout of the event.

I love the mixture of textiles, color and seating choices here.

At the end of the event the client was extremely happy, the Miramonte is now a new friend of AOO Events and the new business possibilities are endless. Remember, mother is always right!

Zaid Arriola is an Event Producer with AOO Events. zarriola@aooevents.com